Always There
by crushed-lilyflower
Summary: PostDH: "…his whole body throbbed with the force of the killing curse...and yet somewhere down on the floors below sat Ginny, earnestly waiting her explanation." Read to find out what happens after the battle. Harry/Ginny, a bit of Ron/Hermione
1. Chapter 1

**A/N It's straight on from the end of DH (before the epilogue). What happens next? Read, review, enjoy. I haven't decided whether to make this multichapter or not…let me know what you think.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise**

**--**

"_That wand's more trouble than it's worth," said Harry. "And quite honestly," he turned away from the painted portraits, thinking now only of the four poster bed lying waiting for him in Gryffindor tower, and wondering whether Kreacher might bring him a sandwich there, "I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."_

Ron and Hermione grinned at him as he turned to leave. He hesitated in the act of opening the door; what to do next? Sleep threatened to take him whole…he had not properly slept since their break into Gringotts…his whole body throbbed with the force of the killing curse...and yet somewhere down on the floors below sat Ginny, earnestly waiting her explanation. Stepping out and back onto the spiral staircase, he found his feet subconsciously carried him back to the portrait of the fat lady. It seemed his body had made the decision for him; he needed rest. As he went, Hermione and Ron hung a few paces behind, Hermione seemingly leaning on Ron for support. On arriving, Harry paused outside the portrait, realising that he did not know the password. He opened his mouth to plead with her, but the fat lady held up a steady hand and said;

"No password needed for the Boy Who Lives," and swung open for his admittance.

His insides seemed to recoil at this as he clambered through the portrait hole…he wondered how much special treatment he would have to endure now that it was all over. A great longing swept through him, a longing to be in Ginny's company. Hermione and Ron's looks were awestruck, every glance conveyed their admiration. He wished he could be around Ginny, who would simply treat him as he was. He glanced outside to the forest…only hours earlier, he had been walking to what he'd thought was his death. He'd seen his parents…Sirius…and Lupin…they'd all been with him…

As renewed stabs of pain pierced his heart he collapsed onto the nearest chair; too exhausted to go any further. Even up to his dormitory seemed like climbing Mount Everest. Hermione and Ron fell onto a sofa opposite, bearing war-wounds, cuts and gashes, and still the hint of those terrible burns that had been inflicted upon them in the Lestrange's vault. Harry thought back to when he had witnessed her body fall at the hands of Mrs Weasley, and felt a curious kind of sick satisfaction. She who had slain Sirius, Fred, tortured Neville's parents and who knew what else…had finally been silenced. He glanced up at Ron and knew that he too was thinking of Fred. Harry felt his insides bubble up with guilt. If he'd just handed himself over that bit earlier…Fred could've been spared…But now the family to whom he owed so much had suffered a terrible loss; and he might've prevented it. Out there somewhere, a small boy barely a year old had just lost his parents. Harry could relate to that…

After a long silence, in attempts to push these unpleasant thoughts aside, Harry took note of his hunger pains and voiced aloud what had drifted to the front of his mind;

"We haven't eaten in ages…"

"Bloody starving mate," Ron nodded.

"Kreacher?" Harry asked hesitantly. He did not know whether the elf would still take kindly to him after he'd never returned to Grimmauld place, the day of the ministry break-in. Kreacher apparated at his feet with a _crack, _and Harry felt relieved to see his eyes shone with delight.

"Master Harry!" he squeaked, taking a low bow.

"Kreacher," Harry smiled, bleary eyed. "Sorry to ask, but would you be able to bring us all a sandwich?"

"Certainly, Harry Potter, sir!"

He disapparated down to the kitchens, returning only moments later carrying a tray laden with a variety of options. Evidently he had already prepared something for Harry, lest he request it. Harry thanked him and indicated Hermione and Ron to help themselves. When Kreacher took his bow to depart, Harry held up a hasty hand and said through a mouthful of chicken sandwich and pumpkin juice;

"Wait a minute, Kreacher!"

Kreacher looked up expectantly.

Harry tried to think how best to phrase his question. "Now that it's all over…would you prefer to be freed? I can free you…or you could stay here with the other house elves at Hogwarts, it's up to you…"

"Freed?" Kreacher's eyes widened. "Oh, no, Master Harry! Kreacher swears his allegiance to you; you and your friends, who have shown Kreacher much kindness!" He beamed to Ron and Hermione, and Hermione's face split into a wide smile, though it was clear she was exasperated by his decision to remain enslaved.

"In that case," Harry said. "You're being paid."

"Paid, Harry Potter sir?" he replied uncertainly.

"High wages," Harry nodded. "You should go and rest...you fought well. Regulus would've been proud." Though barely two years ago the elf had led Sirius to his death, the memory of him running in from the school kitchens to the battle, bearing cutlery as weapons and shouting his instructions to his fellows filled Harry with something like pride. Kreacher disapparated with teary eyes, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione to eat in silence. When they had consumed all they could, Hermione rested her head on Ron's shoulder and closed her eyes wearily. Ron stroked her hair absently, yawning widely.

"I'm knackered…" he mumbled.

"Ron…" Hermione said in a small voice. "I don't want to be alone…with everything that's happened…"

Ron smiled down at her flushed features, "Not to worry; girls are allowed in the boys' dorms right?" With a questioning glance at Harry, who nodded as if to say I'll-be-up-in-a-minute, Ron led her gently by the hand up the stairs, where Harry could picture them huddled together under the warm covers of Ron's four poster bed.

Blinking furiously to keep his eyes in focus, Harry hauled himself to his feet with great effort and started for the staircase. He would sleep for a few hours, and then go and see Ginny. He did not have room for intelligible thought…and had absolutely no idea what to say to her. Every part of him seemed numb…Voldemort's broken body lay downstairs. He was gone…really gone, this time. They had all the time in the world now…

As he groped for the banister, he heard a scuffling outside the portrait hole, and a small voice murmur the words; "Harry Potter."

His instinct was to spin around and answer her, but then he realised it had not been his summons. As the portrait hole swung open to reveal Ginny Weasley, he realised his name had been the password. Ginny stopped dead in her tracks as her eyes came to rest on his. There was a ringing silence, which seemed to press onto Harry's eardrums. Then, at precisely the same moment, they ran towards each other and locked together; Ginny's arms around his neck, her head buried into his shoulder, his arms around her back, pulling her closer. It was an impulse, it was what made sense…

Seconds, minutes or perhaps hours later they broke apart, standing barely a centimetre from each other. Their eyes darted all over the other's face, taking it in. Harry had never imagined he would be able to see her again, he had thought it was over. But no…they were here…they were _alive…_Ginny felt inexpressible relief and emotion as she stood gazing into his sparkling emerald eyes. They were speaking to him, alight in a way only Harry's could be.

"I'm sorry," was the first thing he said. "Fred--"

"--died fighting for what he thought was right," Ginny said firmly, only her teary eyes betraying her strong exterior.

"It's my fault…I'm sorry--"

"Don't be," she said, cupping his face. "It's not."

Harry put his hands over hers, removing them from his face. Her touch seemed to set his every nerve on fire, he suddenly felt completely awake…turning away and releasing her hands, he said;

"Your family would've been better of if I'd never known Ron. If he hadn't sat next to me on the Hogwarts' Express…none of you would've had to be mixed up in this."

Ginny gave him the hard, blazing look he associated with their first kiss after winning the Quidditch final, and replied;

"Right. If Ron had never known you, Fred might not have died."

Hearing her say it was like having a bucket of ice thrown over his head. Hearing Ginny say it, made it so much more real.

"But… I'd have died back in my first year, in the Chamber of Secrets," she went on, and Harry's head snapped around. "Ron would've been poisoned last year. My Dad would've been killed by Voldemort's snake. My Mother would've been murdered by Voldemort."

Harry just stared at her blankly.

"Harry," she said gently. "The day Ron sat in your compartment was the day the Weasley family struck lucky. We owe you everything," she smiled. "And plus, if Ron and you hadn't become mates, we'd never have met!"

The smallest smile escaped his lips at this which Ginny returned meekly, giving him a slightly alluding look. "So…are you going to tell me what you've been off doing all this time?" she raised her eyebrows. "Did you really break into Gringotts and escape on a dragon?"

He nodded. "It was partially blind." She gave him a look of mild surprise, and he went on; "Maybe you should sit down…there's a lot to tell you."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" she demanded suddenly. Harry heard a hurt in her voice which she had failed to successfully cover up.

"Because," he said, pushing her onto a chair by the dying embers of the fire. "I wanted to protect you."

"I'm just as capable as Ron and Hermione! I don't need a body guard!" Ginny sniffed.

"You're underage. You still have the trace," Harry pointed out.

"The way I hear it you three were on the run anyway, what would it have mattered?" she asked.

"They'd have found us all whenever you used magic, perhaps?" he grinned slightly.

"Oh shut up, Potter," she snapped. She did not enjoy being teased, and Harry often forgot she probably had to endure it around the clock with having so many brothers. "You know this is so like all of you – _'protect Ginny, Ginny needs to be looked after, Ginny's too young'--_ like in the room of requirement!"

"Yes, I did try to protect you!" Harry said. "I know you're capable, more than…but the idea of you in the middle of a fight with Voldemort's death eaters was - if you'd been hurt fighting for me…" he trailed off.

"Well, I wasn't was I? And shouldn't it have been my choice?!" she demanded again, heating up.

"In the end it was wasn't it?" Harry smiled. "There's no telling you what to do..."

"Yes, well, if you think I was just going to sit there waiting for news," she said bitterly. "Well, you've got another thing coming Harry Potter--"

"Ginny…have you ever heard of a Horcrux?" Harry interrupted her abruptly.

"Well," she said slowly. "I heard you and Hermione and Ron talking about them when you were at the Burrow for Bill and Fleur's wedding…"

"We always made sure we talked in secret," Harry frowned.

"Extendable ears," Ginny admitted. Harry looked quite impressed.

"But you didn't know what they were?" he asked.

"No…I didn't know. Until I stole the books Hermione was talking about and read up," she said to the floor, a red tinge rising in her cheeks.

"So you knew all along what we were doing?" he said in disbelief after a slightly baffled silence.

"Looking for Voldemort's Horcrux so you could finish him off?"

"Yes…" he paused. "Well…we were looked for his Horcruxes; plural. He made seven."

"Seven?" Ginny echoed, shuddering. She clearly found the idea of just one Horcrux rather repulsive.

"Seven," Harry repeated. "All last year, Dumbledore and me had sessions; he explained to me the different things he thought Voldemort had made into Horcruxes. The diary…Riddle's diary, was one…"

"That's how it could possess me?" she replied, eyes wide with comprehension. "I always wondered how it was possible…that diary had a piece of Voldemort's soul?"

Harry nodded solemnly, reaching out for her hand instinctively. He could always tell that Ginny detested the memories of the events of her first year. She had had a part of Voldemort touch her, a part that now felt tainted…he understood exactly how she felt.

"Which meant we were one Horcrux down already," he said quietly. "Then Dumbledore himself destroyed one; but it was cursed…that's why he really died."

Ginny's expression marked confusion, and Harry realised he would have to get to that later. He would still need to explain about Snape…

"So, with Dumbledore destroying one and the diary gone there were five left. Dumbledore and I went into people's memories of Tom Riddle, and decided Voldemort would've used artefacts of the four Hogwarts founders, because he felt like Hogwarts was his home...it meant a lot to him." Ginny thought she could perceive something more in what he was saying here, but he continued. "We knew from particular memories of his Mother, Uncle and Grandfather that he might've used a locket, which had belonged to Salazar Slytherin. Dumbledore found it hidden in a cave…"

Harry went into explanations of the orphanage Voldemort had grown up in, his odd behaviour, how he had hidden the Horcrux in the cave…he recounted how he and Dumbledore had journeyed there, how it had been a fake…told of when he, Ron and Hermione had realised the real thing belonged to Regulus, Sirius' brother. He explained their infiltration of the ministry; releasing the muggleborns, stealing the locket back.

"--but we still didn't know how to get rid of it. We couldn't open the thing. D'you remember, the summer we stayed with Sirius at Grimmauld place--"

"--there was a locket no one could open!" Ginny finished for him, wide-eyed.

Harry bowed his head. "We were sure we had to open it to destroy it…but we couldn't. Eventually, after weeks and weeks, we realised what would do it…in Dumbledore's will; he left me the sword of Gryffindor? It's one of the only things that destroys Horcruxes." A sudden memory floated to the surface of his mind through his exhaustion, and he added. "I heard about you trying to steal it."

"In your honour," she grinned. "Didn't work though…Snape…But you said Snape was Dumbledore's? You said to Voldemort he was good all along…"

"He was," Harry replied. In answer to her bewildered expression he added; "Dumbledore and Snape planned his death between them; he was already dying…it was all a plot to save Malfoy."

Her confusion did not clear up, and Harry decided to persevere with the Horcuxes for the time being.

"Later," he murmured. "But anyway, we finally got hold of the sword; Snape left it for us. We got rid of the locket. Then we had to search for something of Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's. Dumbledore thought Riddle would've made this cup that had belonged to Hufflepuff into one…"

Harry recounted his accidental excursion to Malfoy manor, where he realised Bellatrix must have been guarding something highly valuable to Voldemort in her vault.

"That's when we robbed Gringotts. Dragon riding and all."

"Impressive," she grinned. "And you destroyed it with the sword that Snape left you? Even though he wouldn't let us take it for you?"

"Oh…no, Griphook stole the sword from us. The goblin that helped us break in."

Her eyebrows knitted together at this and Harry sighed, starting on an explanation all about the fake sword Dumbledore had planted. He told her how Ron had eventually realised they could use Basilisk fangs.

Around an hour later Harry had explained almost everything to Ginny, and she finally understood. By then, he felt as though he barely existed he was so exhausted, everything seemed to be viewed from one end of a long tunnel. He was far away, everything was blurred. Ginny now knew about the locket, the diary, the ring, the cup, the diadem and the snake. But the fact that there was still a seventh Horcrux had not gone unnoticed.

"And so…what was the seventh Horcrux?" she asked timidly; she had noticed he hadn't volunteered the information. A silence met her inquiry; he didn't want to talk about this. When he and Ginny had been together a year ago he had had a piece of Voldemort inside him…a piece of evil.

"The last Horcrux was…" he said slowly. "The last Horcrux was me. That's why I had to give myself up to him…the piece of him inside me had to be killed."

"You just…you just let him kill you?" her voice cracked and her eyes glistened. "And then it was gone?"

He nodded to her. "The last thing I thought of was kissing you," he blushed slightly as the faintest trace of a smile crossed both of their lips. "And then I woke up in some kind of limbo between life and death. Dumbledore was there."

"_Dumbledore?" _

"He gave me the choice. Go on, or come back. It was an amazing place…there was no pain, everything was whole. I was complete."

"So…" said Ginny, tears welling slightly in her eyes. "Why did you come back?"

"For you," he stated it as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

There was a silence in which Ginny couldn't quite put her feelings into words. Instead, she settled for squeezing his outstretched hand, and piercing him with look, so intense, so meaningful, so smouldering that Harry's heart hammered against his ribcage. Moments later, he said to her wearily;

"Then there's the Hallows…I suppose, they're how I eventually defeated him after I came back…the Elder wand."

Harry thought it must've been midday by the time he finished explaining the Hallows, the cloak, the ring, the wand and why Dumbledore had really trusted Snape. He told her everything he knew, and she was an excellent recipient. She stayed quiet, listened intently and was quick on the uptake. He loved that she was clever, clever in such a way that she didn't memorise textbooks like Hermione…clever in the kind of impulsive way that he was. The only part of the tale he left out was Dumbledore's childhood, his sister, and his involvement with Grindlewald. Dumbledore had trusted Harry enough to explain, and he felt so much respect for the memories of his old headmaster that he did not reveal his most heartfelt secrets; only made a point of scandalising Rita Skeeter's disgusting book of lies. On finishing his explanations, Ginny whispered;

"Harry, the reason Voldemort never used the connection between the two of you after Sirius died, is because he couldn't bear to touch someone so pure."

He knew she was trying to ease his discomfort over the fact that up until the previous evening, his body had played host to a piece of the soul of the world's greatest dark sorcerer. She was trying to make him see it didn't matter, trying to make him see he had been Harry all along.

"You're a better wizard, a better person. Dumbledore knew that."

Harry merely smiled; if Ginny thought it, he thought it. If Ginny said it, he would listen. She sat looking at him imploringly, wondering what would happen between them now. She then added softly, "Isn't it about time somebody saved _your _life?"

Perhaps it was her saying this that did it, or perhaps it was in answer to her unspoken question, but he got to his feet and approached her. The room seemed to empty of oxygen, everything melted away and they could see nothing but each other. He was coming towards her, he was lifting her to her feet gently, he was pushing her hair off her face. And then he was kissing her. And it felt like they'd never been apart, they'd never been threatened; they'd been together the whole time. Behind each other all the way; taking a piece of the other with them wherever they went…And it was a pleasurable torture almost too much to bear, it was blissful oblivion; they were the only two in the world. Standing, swaying on the spot in Gryffindor common room; their tongues exploring the others' mouth, Harry's hands in her hair…her arms hooked around his neck…

They'd waited, they'd wondered, he'd gone and returned; and now the moment was here. And they both knew they'd always wait a lifetime.

**--**

**A/N: Review! I thought I might make it into a short multichapter – like 5 chapters? Or I could just leave it as a one shot – up to you. x**


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n: Thanks to those of you who reviewed chapter one. Luckily because I'm on easter holidays I have plenty of time to write, though I err should be revising for my GCSEs. Ah well...enjoy**

XXX

"I never thought I'd get to do that again," Harry murmured to Ginny when they broke apart. She placed a hand on his cheek, and leant in to graze his lips with hers lightly in response. She then led him over to a sofa, and he lay her down with him, snaking familiar arms around her waist. Sleep took them instantly, and they stirred no more.

**--**

Light was dancing across Harry's eyelids through the open window, but he did not make to open them. Instead he simply breathed in the flowery smell of Ginny Weasley, and placed a blind kiss atop her head. The next minute he heard the bickering voices of his two best friends drawing nearer from the staircase to the boys' dormitories. He stayed still, having no particular desire to be a part of one of Ron and Hermione's petty arguments. He had not suspected they would stop arguing when they finally got together, in fact he assumed it would simply increase.

"--Look, I just don't see how it's important that we invite him--" Ron was saying.

"Viktor's a really good friend of mine! And he was at Bill and Fleur's wedding, wasn't he? He should be there! He would want to celebrate Voldemort's downfall," Hermione countered.

"Alright, fine. Viktor's on the guest list. Suppose you wouldn't mind if I send Lavender Brown an owl, then? Seeing as she's a _good friend of mine_, I want her there too."

"Ron, I don't think you and Lavender exchanged a single word while you went out," Hermione said, sounding half-angry, half-amused.

"I'll have you know Lavender and I had many long talks in those few weeks we were together; in between snogging of course."

"Whatever, _Won-Won," _Hermione replied. Her voice was now very nearby, and her footsteps seemed to have subsided. "Ron, look…"

Harry kept his eyes tight shut, as he felt the rhythmic beat of Ginny's heart against his skin.

"Should we wake 'em up?" Ron said gruffly.

"No! Ron, you are so tactless!" Hermione replied exasperatedly.

"It's my best mate and my sister, Hermione!"

"Leave them be," Hermione said softly. Harry felt as if he could hear the smile in her voice. He then heard the sounds of a reluctant Ron being dragged away, and grinned slightly to himself. Once the portrait hole had swung shut, he felt Ginny wriggle slightly in his arms, and he opened his eyes at last.

"You awake?" he whispered in her ear.

She rolled over completely so that they were face to face.

"Morning," she said sleepily.

"Hey," he grinned.

She rubbed her nose against his, and whispered;

"You ready?"

"For what?" he quirked an eyebrow.

"To face the music…"

"Why don't I just get Kreacher to bring us some breakfast up here?" Harry suggested quickly, catching on.

"Harry you'll have to face them all sometime. It'll die down eventually," she said. "I'll be there."

He placed a gentle finger under her chin, and gave her a kiss. She smiled into his mouth, and murmured; "come on..."

"Fine…we'll go down for breakfast, and try and get out of there as quickly as possible," Harry consented reluctantly.

**--**

Half an hour later, just as Harry was crossing the threshold to the Great Hall, he felt a vulture-like hand enclose his wrist and drag him off down the hall. Looking up he saw the tight blonde ringlets and shocking red lipstick of a woman he most loathed to see. She released him and he tried to back away, but she had managed to corner him.

"Harry," leered Rita Skeeter. "I knew it all along of course! The chosen one! The prophecy! I was behind you all the way!" she paused, perhaps expecting some kind of warm welcome, but Harry merely glared. "Now, tell me Harry dear, during all those months you were on the run--"

"--I wasn't on the run, I was working on Dumbledore's orders," Harry interrupted with gritted teeth.

"Of course you were," she smiled still wider, baring her sparkling white teeth. "Now, then. Whilst you were on the run, how did you feel? Knowing all your friends and family were in danger? Knowing you couldn't help them?" She tilted her head thoughtfully, rummaging in her crocodile skin bag for her quick-quotes-quill. Harry's hand fumbled with his wand, and he fought desperately with the desire to blow her to pieces.

"I'm sorry, Rita, but I'm not telling anything to the person who wrote a book of lies about Dumbledore to make money!" Harry snarled.

"Ah. I see you're going to be difficult about this," she sighed dramatically. "I'm sorry to ruin your child's ideology of Saint Dumbledore. He was never honest with you though, was he Harry? Did he tell you all about his sister? Did you know about his Mother and Father?" She tilted her head the other way, talking in sweet tones which reminded Harry forcibly of Umbridge.

"No," Harry replied. "But--"

"How did it feel?" Rita advanced. "Your one big supporter, the one who you thought you could count on…not trusting you enough to confide? Our reader's would love to know I'm sure--"

Harry was spared having to answer her, because at that moment Ginny appeared at his side, eyeing Rita with an expression of disgust.

"Leave—him—alone."

Rita was momentarily taken aback, but quickly caught herself.

"Oh, the _girlfriend! _How lovely! The Weasley girl, correct? Well, I expect your family has given you their blessing; this could be their one claim to fame! Now, tell me dear--"

Her request was cut short as Ginny swiftly interrupted her with a quick demonstration of her uncanny ability with a Bat-Bogey hex, her face contorted with rage. As Rita stumbled backwards, cursing under her breath, McGonagall arrived on the scene.

"What on earth--" she said weakly, looking from Harry to Ginny to Rita to Ginny's wand. "Ah."

"McGonagall!" Rita screeched. "I think it best you learn to exercise some control over your students!"

"And I think it best you stay away from my school. Mr Potter and Miss Weasley have been through more than enough; neither needs to be cornered by a woman so vile that she attempts to emotionally exploit the boy who has just saved us all!" There was so much contempt in McGonagall's voice that Rita did not seem to have the will to cross her. She stood up with as much dignity as she could muster, mumbled the counterspell for Ginny's hex, and stormed out the front doors. Harry felt immense gratitude to both McGonagall and Ginny; the latter of which had now taken his hand.

"Come on, Potter, Weasley," McGonagall said kindly, leading them into the hall.

Whatever Harry had been expecting to happen the day after he vanquished Lord Voldemort, he was still not prepared for what happened next. As he walked into the lovingly familiar hall, every single man, woman or child got to their feet, clapping, cheering and raising their glasses to Harry Potter; the boy who lives. Many of the standing ovation had tears in their eyes; the children were looking awestruck, the adults smiling down at their saviour. He looked down at Ginny, trying to convey with a look how he felt; and saw that she too had tears in her eyes. Tightening her grip on his hand, she led him away from McGonagall and down the alleyways until they reached Gryffindor table. People immediately moved aside to make room for them, staring at Harry dazedly. Harry glanced down the table and saw Ron shrug helplessly, and Hermione smile at him with watery eyes. Ginny rested her head on Harry's shoulder, and he hugged her to him. The one person who could keep him sane.

"I'm glad you're here," he muttered to her, as people began gradually to sit down and avert their eyes.

"They only want to show you how grateful they are," she whispered kindly. "Everyone had lost hope; we all thought it was the end…soon they'll realise you'd rather be--"

But at that moment there was a blinding flash in front of Harry's eyes and for a moment all he saw was specks of light.

"Sorry—we don't want any photographs," he heard Ginny say, before the bench was scraped backwards and Gryffindors all around him stood up, shielding him from the _Prophet _reporter and drawing their wands.

"Leave him alone!" he heard a girl say. "Yeah, he doesn't need you to suck up to him after everything you've reported over the years," said another.

Eventually the dots of light cleared and as Harry's eyes focused he recognised the photographer at once. He had been subjected to having his photograph taken by him during the Triwizard tournament.

"You're Skeeter's photographer!" he said loudly.

"McGonagall's just banned her from the castle," Ginny addressed him. "I think that would include her photographer as well, wouldn't you?"

The pathetic man looked from Harry to Ginny to the many wands aimed his direction, and with an apologetic head tilt, scampered from the hall.

"Thank you," Harry said to them all. "I don't know what to--"

"Harry, dear!" Harry spun on his bench to see Mrs Weasley rushing over to him. In one fluid motion, she pulled him to his feet and squeezed him to within an inch of his life. "You were…you were _incredible…"_ she sobbed. Harry patted her on the back awkwardly, feeling that unwelcome surge of guilt for Fred through the pit of his stomach once again. She seemed to interpret his silence correctly, and said to him; "Don't you dare blame yourself Harry, you're the reason we're all here today…"

He was just beginning to wonder how much more of it he could take, when McGonagall reappeared, with Kingsley Shacklebolt at her side. Kingsley held out a hand, and Harry shook it. Though only moments after Voldemort had been killed they had all rushed to him, now he was experiencing a more formal type of gratitude. "Thank you," Kingsley said in his deep, soothing voice. "We all owe you so much…"

"You don't owe me anything," Harry tried to say. "It was all Dumbledore…" But no one seemed to hear him in their desperation to thank him.

"Potter," McGonagall said, dabbing at her eyes behind her spectacles. "We need to have a meeting, about your future; Mr Weasley and Miss Granger also."

_The future…_

He glanced at Ginny, who was beaming and nodding encouragingly. Mrs Weasley placed a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"Of course, Professor," said Harry, and McGonagall gestured him to follow her and Kingsley. He gave Ginny a kiss on the cheek, revelling slightly in the smooth skin, and followed on. He watched as McGonagall bent down to Ron and Hermione, who both nodded and rose from their seats. He caught up with them, and together they followed them out of the hall and up to McGonagall's familiar office. Once the door was closed behind them, Harry noticed McGonagall's tin of biscuits lay exactly where it had always been. The corners of his mouth twitched as he remembered his first careers meeting. McGonagall took her seat and motioned Hermione, Ron and Harry to sit down opposite. Kingsley lingered at McGonagall's side, still standing.

"Well, you three…" she began, sniffing slightly. "Where to begin?"

She paused for a moment, evidently choosing her words with care, and then went on.

"Harry, you've expressed a previous aspiration to become an auror? Correct?"

He nodded to her in reply, feeling an uncomfortable squirm; he had never completed the necessary qualifications.

"Well, now that you have vanquished Lord Voldemort I doubt it will be difficult for you to find work!" She chuckled slightly and glanced at Kingsley, who took over.

"However, since you have not completed your NEWT levels, you may not have the breadth of knowledge you need for the job. Therefore I'd advise you to return to Hogwarts and redo your seventh year. Does that sound suitable?" Kingsley asked him.

Harry nodded eagerly; returning to Hogwarts? It was almost too good to be true…he was being given a second chance...

"And Miss Granger, Mr Weasley? What do you wish to…?"

But Harry's mind wandered for the rest of their meeting; only gathering that Ron and Hermione would be coming back too. He, Harry, would be coming back to Hogwarts for another year; he'd be with Ginny…in Ginny's classes…and Ron and Hermione would be there too…

_The future…he had a future..._

**--**

Harry found her waiting for him in the common room, reading the _Prophet _with an unmistakable expression of revulsion. On seeing him approaching, she attempted to stash it under a cushion but he was too quick for her.

"What has Skeeter done now?" he asked in exasperation, taking it from her hands.

After glancing vaguely down at the article she had whipped up, stating that Harry was an arrogant and smug hero, revelling in his success and refusing to accept thanks, he cast it aside and said to Ginny indifferently;

"She moved fast didn't she?"

"Sorry, Harry," Ginny said with a worried expression. "She'll be sacked. She'll be sacked as soon as people read it and the prophet realises it won't sell."

"Oh, it doesn't matter to me anymore," Harry shrugged. "I've got something to tell you! McGonagall says me, Hermione and Ron are coming back next year to finish our NEWTs."

Ginny's eyes lit up and she leapt to her feet to give him a hug.

"Gin…" Harry said, as suddenly something that had been irking him for days came pouring out. "I'm not—I'm not going to lose you, am I?"

She looked into his frowning eyes and said softly; "Of course not…"

"I used to get out the map and watch your dot while we were searching for the Horcruxes…just to know you were okay…" he admitted, not knowing why it seemed important to tell her. "I missed you so much…" He reached out and traced a line down her cheek, over her lips, his fingers coming to rest underneath her chin; gazing into her soft brown eyes.

"Harry, you're not going to lose me," she replied firmly. "I've waited for exactly this since the first time I saw you," she smiled slightly. "I saw you on that platform, with your taped glasses and knobbly knees; and I realised you were--" But she bit back the rest of her sentence.

"You realised I was what?" he whispered. She maintained a bout of silence, and he couldn't resist her. He thought back to his early years of Hogwarts and remembered something. Leaning in as if to kiss her, he stopped inches from her lips and murmured; "Oh yeah, that's right…my_ eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad_…" he smirked as he saw her eyes widen with horror.

"Oh no – please don't--" she began.

"My _hair is as dark as a blackboard…"_

She made to pull away from him slightly, but he held her close.

"And what was the rest? Oh yeah; _I wish he was mine, he's truly divine, the hero who conquered the Dark Lord…"_

He chuckled softly as she glared daggers at him, and to soften her he placed a kiss on her freckled nose.

"You remembered it," she said slowly, sounded both irritated and touched.

"Every word," he nodded. He leant in even closer, and their breath mingled; their heartbeats racing.

"Make me a deal Harry."

"Mm?" he inched closer still, no longer able to keep her face in focus.

"Don't ever repeat that awful thing again."

Grinning, he whispered; "deal." He gave her a light kiss, and then broke away to revert to his original question. "So what did you realise I was?"

She glanced up at him, the slightly faded colour in her cheeks returning as she hesitated. Ginny was not the type to embarrass easily; only Harry could have this effect on her. Some part of her hated it, and a larger part of her loved it. He looked down at her with imploring eyes.

"I realised you were the one," she said simply, before repeating; "So, you're not going to lose me..."

A small silence met this proclamation as Harry felt a swell of emotion rise up inside of him. She mistook his delay and looked down in humiliation, thinking she had said too much. She tried once again to wriggle free of his grasp, but he was too strong for her.

"Harry - let go--" she stuttered, angry and embarrassed tears springing to her eyes. But he held her tight, and then kissed her like he'd never kissed her before. Her grip slackened and she succumbed to it; it was passionate, meaningful and _hungry._ It reassured her, told her everything was okay, that he felt the same way. Harry moved even closer to her so that she could even feel his heartbeat above her own; his hand ran down her side, hers down his chest. And then he was pulling away, and she so desperately wanted him to stay with her; his lips to be on hers forever. But then Ginny felt as though Christmas had come early, as breathlessly he said;

"I love you."

**XOX**

**A/N: reviews please.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N This chapter's a bit depressing, but it lightens at the end…I hope you don't find it boring. It's not so much Harry/Ginny only here, it's a general moving on chapter. I just didn't think I could do a post DH story without something like this. Review! Constructive criticism is welcome, but please don't read and not review.**

**--**

The following day marked the official 'end of term'. As Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione made their way down for a final breakfast, their eyes met a scene where Professor Flitwick was commanding teams of witches and wizards to piece the castle back together, all of whom were pointing pieces of the rubble back into place with their wands. Harry found himself forced to do a kind of assault course through the entrance hall to avoid the assorted debris and chunks of wall. As he passed, the people working on the castle repairs followed him eagerly with their eyes. Ginny tried her best to shield him by walking on the outside, and he gave her an appreciative smile.

When everyone who still remained at the school had congregated in the hall, Professor McGonagall, newly reinstated as official Headmistress, stood up to address them. The Floo network would be opened for departure around midday, and the castle's enchantments would be temporarily lifted for apparation. At eleven o' clock there was to be a ceremony for those who had died in the battle, to which anyone was welcome, and it struck Harry that this would be a good moment to return the Elder wand to its rightful place. After McGonagall had finished speaking, the four of them were helping themselves to bacon and eggs when it occurred to him that no one else knew the truth about Snape. His feelings towards his old Potions master had so dramatically changed since seeing his final thoughts in the pensieve; so much so that though he still felt resentful towards him, he now also felt Snape had been one of the bravest people he knew. And yet, everyone still believed him responsible for Dumbledore's death. He was filled with such remorse for Snape, felt such sympathy for him, for the life he'd led and the horrifying death he'd suffered…He would have to explain…people had to know…Ginny, who had taken a seat across from him, had been watching the thought process out of the corner of her eye as she buttered her toast.

"Something wrong, Harry?" she asked pointedly.

Recalled to his surroundings, he realised his forkful of scrambled eggs had been poised in midair for at least a minute while he'd been mulling things over. He shook his head and replied;

"I was just thinking about clearing Snape's name. People need to know what he did for us…and people need to know Dumbledore was right all along in trusting him."

He saw Hermione eyeing him sceptically over her glass of orange juice, and frowned at her. "What?"

"Are you sure you don't want to clear Snape's name because you feel guilty?" she said tentatively. Ron rolled his eyes, and Hermione gave him a reproachful look. "I'm only saying!"

"I wasn't the only one who thought Snape was guilty!" Harry said defensively. "And anyway, he gave me good reason to suspect him; he was hardly nice to me when he was alive!"

"Yes, well," said Hermione brusquely. "He was in love with your mother Harry; it wasn't very much to do with you. And it can't have been great for him to have to see you all the time, especially when he hated your Dad so much."

"Want to be a little blunter, Hermione?" said Ginny. "I think Harry's right. People should know Snape was a good person."

Harry actually leant across the table to kiss her.

**--**

And so, based on this agreement, half an hour later Harry was knocking on the door to the Head's office, having carefully bypassed the gargoyle which was still laid on its side, somewhat in pieces.

"Come in," McGonagall called from within.

Harry stepped over the threshold and closed the door quietly behind him. Looking up, he saw McGonagall's slightly surprised expression. Evidently she hadn't been expecting him back so soon.

"Sorry, Professor," he apologised. "I was just wondering if I could, er - talk to you about something."

"Of course, Potter. Is everything alright?"

He nodded. "Yeah…I was just wondering…well, I wanted to talk about Snape…"

"Snape?" McGonagall repeated, looking bewildered. Harry gave her something between a nod and a shrug, and she went on; "Very well. Have a seat, Harry."

As he did so he noticed with a suppressed grin that her box of Ginger Newts had now found a new home by her overflowing in-tray. She restored the quill she had been writing with to its pot of ink, and looked at him expectantly. Harry launched straight into an explanation; he told her everything he'd seen in the pensieve, and how Snape had really remained faithful to Dumbledore throughout, despite the entire Order's being convinced of his guilt. He glazed over the details of how Snape had been in love with his mother as much as possible, feeling that he would've probably preferred it not to have been advertised.

"--and even after Dumbledore had died, Snape carried on helping me. He helped me with my quest…although Dumbledore never told him exactly what I was doing. He was a hero, Professor…and I want people to know that."

A small silence met this proclamation. If Minerva McGonagall had ever had to bet on anyone being described as a hero by Harry Potter, Severus Snape would've been pretty far off her estimations.

"You're sure?" she said weakly. "You're sure that Albus _arranged_ his death with Snape?"

"Certain," replied Harry, glancing up at Dumbledore's apparently snoozing portrait. "Snape hasn't got a portrait…" he observed.

"I believe that is because he abandoned his post before his death," replied McGonagall. "But I'm sure we can arrange for his portrait to be put up next to Albus'." Harry smiled at her. "As far as the general public goes, Harry, I don't think we can very well strike up a fuss," McGonagall continued. "But rest assured, I will let it be known within Hogwarts walls that Severus Snape was good…and I will say something in today's ceremony."

Harry nodded, and, taking his leave, replied; "Thanks, Professor. That's all I wanted."

As he reached out for the door handle she called after him; "See you next term, Potter."

**--**

The ceremony passed in a haze of tears and laughs; memories of those who had died flashed before their eyes as speeches were made by family members and teachers. A golden plaque was placed on the front wall. It read;

_**Dedicated to those who gave their lives in The Battle of Hogwarts **_

_**1999**_

_**May their brave hearts Rest in Peace**_

And below this were listed all the names of the people who lay forever beneath it. Many people placed flowers atop their graves. A sobbing Mrs Weasley stepped forward to place a bouquet of white lilies for Fred, and when the crowd had thinned, and only close family and friends to him remained, George stepped to the front and said, voice shaking;

"To Fred."

And with a wave of his wand there was a bang like a gunshot as an enormous box of Weasley's fireworks was let loose. Ginny was caught somewhere between laughing and crying as she watched them encircle the topmost towers, and Harry put his arms around her as tears welled in his own eyes. The fireworks continued for several minutes, before finally displaying the sparkling message, which somehow stood out even in broad daylight;

**To Fred Weasley**

**The champion who died laughing, RIP**

Harry applauded along with the rest; it had been perfect. Fred would've wanted this, he would've wanted them to celebrate his life and remember him as he was. When the words had faded, Harry gently extracted his arms from Ginny's waist to conjure up a bouquet for both Remus and Tonks. When he reached their adjoining graves, he picked up a stone at random, and engraved a message with his wand;

_Mischief Managed _

Smiling to himself, he placed it above Remus' grave with the flowers and mumbled;

"Bye, Professor Lupin. We'll all take care of Teddy…"

After a few moments he felt a warm hand enclose his, and looked to his right to see Hermione. Ron appeared on his other side, and the three of them stood there together; and somehow it strengthened Harry that they were there with him. Wiping his eyes, he pulled open the pouch Hagrid had given him and took out the Elder Wand. He left the others, and made the slow walk over to Dumbledore's white marble tomb. And as he went, his heart was suddenly lifted, and he was full of life, full of energy, full of song…Looking around, he saw a flash of red and gold; Fawks was gliding through the skies to greet him, coming to land elegantly on a treetop above where Dumbledore lay. Feeling somewhat strengthened by Fawks' presence, Harry gently opened up the heavy marble lid. Looking down into his old Headmaster's lined face, he thought he could've been asleep; he had died still wearing his expression of calm serene. Harry slid the wand carefully back between Dumbledore's withered hands, saying quietly;

"Thanks, Professor. I did what you asked…I'm back, and he's gone. I didn't disappoint you," he managed a grin, though his eyes were full to the brim once more. "And I'll keep trying not to disappoint you…"

With a gut wrenching pang, he forced himself to close the lid once more and turn to leave, and when he had stepped just a few paces, Fawks swooped down in front of him in an graceful arc, and whether he imagined it or not, he heard the words carried in the wind;

"…_you never could…"_

**--**

Arriving back at the Burrow felt strange to all of them. Everywhere they went there was a noticeable quiet, which they put down to Fred's absence. George barely spoke for a week, confined to his room, he left only for mealtimes and toilet breaks. Harry related his behaviour to his own when Sirius had died, and thought he must have an inkling of how he felt. Ginny coped better than Harry could've imagined and he loved her all the more for it; Ron found his solace in Hermione, and Mr Weasley, Percy, Bill and Charlie all managed to put on brave faces, (Bill perhaps helped along by Fleur). The one person in the house who seemed in a worse state than George, the one who seemed for the time being beyond help, was Mrs Weasley. She went about business as usual, cooking, cleaning, doing the dishes, laundering the clothes, degnomeing the garden, but her heart was not in it, and many a time Harry happened across her in tears, though she hastened to wipe her eyes dry as soon as she realised he was there. As a result of this, Harry's guilt began to spiral out of control, and that mingled with his own sense of loss meant that his only source of comfort was Ginny. He did not know what he would've done had she not been there; but they supported each other, pulling each other along when needed. One particularly scorching summer afternoon, they sat together beneath a tree in the apple orchard, Ginny leaning against Harry's knees, her head resting against his chest.

"I think Mum's doing better…" Ginny murmured, as Harry played with the ends of her silky hair. "She cries less at least …"

Harry's stomach churned unpleasantly and he did not immediately reply. Eventually he said; "How are _you _doing? I know you were close with Fred…and Tonks…"

Ginny paused, and then replied with a quiet yet surprisingly strong voice; "Yeah…I'm okay. Some seconds are harder than others." She gave a slight chuckle. "I'm just glad you're here." She took his hand and looked up into his face meaningfully. "When I saw you…that day, lying in Hagrid's arms…when Voldemort said you were dead…I--" but her voice broke over the last few words.

"But I'm not. I'm here," he said firmly. Perhaps it was in this moment, as Harry entwined her sweet hair around his fingers and she stroked his palm, that he realised he would always be there for her. He knew as well as he knew his own name that he'd never leave her side. And then at the same moment they kissed each other, their lips grazing, and then their tongues entwining…Ginny was twisting on the spot, wrapping her arms around his neck, he extracted a hand from her hair and placed it on her lower back…she was pressing him against the tree trunk and he would not complain because the kiss was deepening with such passion, such a wonderful –

"Ginny? Harry!" called a voice as the back door banged open and the couple broke apart, hastily getting to their feet and flushing wildly.

"What, Mum?" Ginny asked, trying to keep her voice level. But Harry noticed that pink spots had appeared in Mrs Weasley's cheeks, pink spots that, to his recollection, only appeared when she was happy…

"Get in here, you two!" she said in cheery tones, waving an arm behind in the direction of the kitchen. Eager to find out whatever had caused this spur of delight in her, Harry and Ginny hastened to follow. On entering the kitchen they found themselves in the company of all the Weasleys, Hermione, Fleur and Kingsley Shacklebolt. Mr Weasley was chatting merrily to him, and when he caught sight of Harry and Ginny he broke off, realising that now the whole family was assembled. Beaming to everyone in the room in turn, he said to them all;

"I have a little announcement to make!" With a lazy flick of the wand, twelve butterbeers appeared in mid air, hovering in front of each person. Everyone took them as Mr Weasley continued; "Kingsley here has just given me my old job back, in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office!" He looked absolutely ecstatic, causing most of the onlookers to exchange perplexed looks. He had been promoted during the previous year…meaning that now he was, in effect, celebrating being demoted…Harry glanced at Ginny uncertainly, whose expression mirrored his. There was a ringing silence and Harry was just beginning to wonder whether they were supposed to cheer, when suddenly Mr Weasley went on;

"And he's giving me a raise of _three times _what I was earning at my promotion!" he finished with gusto, raising his butterbeer in triumph. The room erupted into congratulations, Ginny stepped forwards to give her father a one-armed hug, for the first time since the day of the Hogwarts' ceremony George grinned widely, saying "Nice one, Dad!", but no one beamed wider than Mrs Weasley.

"A pay rise! _And_ he's doing what he loves! Oh, I'm all of a dither!" Harry heard her say as she threw her arms around Kingsley. "Oh, you'll have to stay for dinner now! Shall we invite Hagrid too?" she chirped. "Make a bit of a party of it…and Andromeda and Teddy of course…and the Lovegoods…Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny would love to see Luna…"

And that night was the night that the future finally loomed bright and beautiful before them. Though they all still grieved enormously, they were comforted by the fact that good things were happening now; the new generation was free, they'd never be threatened again…toasts were made repeatedly to Harry, and by eleven o' clock Mrs Weasley begun to appreciate Fred wouldn't have wanted to see her upset.

"--I can just imagine him saying it! 'Mum, pull yourself together, you're embarrassing yourself!'" And then she, like Ginny, became caught between tears and laughter, leaning on her husband's shoulder for support. But from that day on Mrs Weasley began to heal, and their survivor's guilt began to wear off; people's scars began to heal. And as the night wore on to become a party not just for Mr Weasley's pay rise, but a belated celebration of life and victory over Voldemort, and a well wishing to Hermione and Ron and Harry and Ginny, another pleasant surprise came from Bill, who stood on a chair in the early hours of the morning to announce gleefully;

"Fleur's _pregnant_!"

**--**

**A/N: Review! Hopefully you didn't think it was too dull. I thought the ending was funny hah seeing as Teddy was snogging Victoire at the end of DH I thought they could've been born pretty close together – and it seemed appropriate for moving to the future and all that! Anyway I have some new ideas for other chapters, related to Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione. Should all be fun! Keep reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Lot's of happy stuff in here. I hope you like it!**

**--**

"_Harry! Harry! _Wake up, mate!_"_

He jerked awake to a shocking blare of orange. A blurred poster of Zach Morrison, seeker of the Chudley Cannons, was waving at him enthusiastically from above.

"Happy birthday, Harry!" Ron said cheerily, now standing over him with a grin and blocking Morrison from view. Harry's stomach gave a slight jolt as he pushed his glasses on; he had entirely forgotten.

"Oh…yeah…" he said stupidly. Ron moved over to the single tiny window and pulled back the curtains by a fraction of an inch to reveal a hazy sun, drifting half heartedly between patches of fluffy clouds. Yawning widely, Harry automatically peered to the end of his bed. To his surprise, and slight disappointment, there was no pile of presents awaiting him as usual. He wondered whether now that a year had passed since he'd come of age, it was normal to simply stop exchanging gifts. He cast a furtive glance at Ron, who was now pulling on a pair of jeans, but he did not give any indications of noticing the absence of Harry's presents. Feeling ridiculously selfish, and deciding that he was being somewhat pathetic, Harry changed tack;

"Nice day for Quidditch."

"Yeah…pity you lost your firebolt…" Ron replied vaguely as Harry started to dress. He felt a little resentful to this comment; he hardly needed reminding of it. The broom had been his pride and joy, not to mention how Sirius had been to one to give it to him. When he looked up at him, he could've sworn he saw Ron smiling to himself, though he hastened to straighten his face as soon as he caught Harry's eye.

"Come on," said Ron. "I reckon Hagrid will be downstairs and all. And Ginny will want to be wishing you a Happy Birthday…" Harry grinned and nodded, feeling temporarily lifted as he remembered vividly what Ginny had given him for his birthday the previous year.

When Harry entered the kitchen, he had been expecting some kind of a fuss to be made…perhaps his family and friends gathered together to greet him. But all he found was a casual Mrs Weasley pointing a wand at her sizzling bacon, and Mr Weasley wearing his typical enthusiastic expression as he perused a book on aeroplanes. Neither seemed particularly stirred as they wished him a 'Happy Birthday' in dull tones. Harry felt unwelcome neglect and renewed disappointments settle in the pit of his stomach; but Ron took his seat at the table and began helping himself to cereal as though nothing was wrong, despite how moments ago he'd said he thought Hagrid would be there. Scanning the kitchen in vain, Harry found that neither Hagrid nor Ginny nor Hermione were anywhere to be seen. Trying to shrug off his childish discontent, Harry took up a chair opposite and poured himself some coffee.

"Bacon, Harry dear?" Mrs Weasley asked from over by the stove.

"Wha—oh, yeah, thanks Mrs Weasley," he replied. She gave a small smile and summoned a breakfast plate up for him from the china cabinet. Desirous to distract himself, Harry struck up a conversation with Mr Weasley.

"Still in pursuit of your dearest ambition, then?" he grinned.

Mr Weasley looked up with smiling eyes; "I still don't quite understand how they stay up," he admitted sadly, "but I'm reading up on who first invented them! What a man, what a man…invented machinery that _flies_…"

Harry distinctly heard an exasperated sigh from Mrs Weasley as Mr Weasley continued to look enthralled, and felt a sudden surge of affection for them both. And then he heard gentle footsteps on the stairs, and turned in his seat to see Ginny enter the kitchen.

"Morning everyone," she said sleepily. "Happy Birthday, Harry," she added, giving him a kiss on the cheek. He watched as she settled herself opposite and poured a cup of tea, yawning widely, still wearing her blue cotton pyjama pants and a white tank top. He wondered how it was possible that her every movement was so elegant…how she looked so beautiful even at nine o' clock in the morning, with her hair sticking out at odd angles and her bleary eyes lined with tiredness. She sensed his gaze and looked up at him nonchalantly, and through his musings he couldn't help but feel another slight stab of annoyance. Even his girlfriend didn't seem to care he had just turned eighteen. Mrs Weasley delivered his enormous plate of breakfast, complete with not only bacon, but eggs, sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms and fried bread. He thanked her politely, and then they all ate in near silence. When Harry finished, Ginny said cheerily;

"D'you fancy going for a walk? Nice day," she gestured outside.

He nodded, and replied shortly; "Sure."

She glanced down at her attire, and added; "I'll just get dressed…"

He grinned, "Yeah…you do that."

**--**

He and Ginny set out a quarter of an hour later, and ambled happily through the apple orchard and onto the grassy meadows beyond. The summer air seemed cleansing somehow, and they let the sun wash over them pleasantly; its filtered rays dancing over the ground before them. Harry felt differently once he was outside. How could he have been bothered about a couple of presents when he was walking through the beautiful countryside, without a care in the world, hand in hand with Ginny Weasley? The only thing which could add to the perfection would be if he still had his firebolt and they could play quidditch…

"Good day for quidditch," Ginny observed, and Harry started. Caught off guard by how she had literally seemed to read his mind, he replied thickly;

"Er, yeah…"

"Pity you lost your firebolt, eh?"

Harry said nothing. Twice in one day he'd heard that; and as he looked sideways at her he saw her smile the same mischievous grin he'd seen on her brother. Feeling considerably irritated once again, he withdrew his hand from hers and shoved it deep in his jeans' pocket. Ginny seemed unperturbed by this, and carried on dreamily;

"I suppose you really miss it, don't you?"

A muscle twitched in Harry's jaw as he tried to ignore the renewed pangs for Sirius. Somehow the two seemed connected, as if his broom had been the last relic of his beloved Godfather. He stayed silent once again, and this time Ginny took it upon herself to glance up at him. She stopped dead in her tracks, and pierced him with a worried expression.

"Harry…you look—are you okay? I didn't mean to—I didn't know you missed your broom _that _much…" she reached out and touched his arm, looking rather perplexed. As a reluctant shiver ran down his spine, he replied gruffly;

"It's nothing."

He shrugged her off, and continued walking alone. Ginny stayed rooted to the spot for a second longer, her brain working furiously. And then with sudden horror, comprehension dawned and she hurried to catch him up;

"Harry! Oh--oh, Harry I'm so sorry. I didn't realise…_Sirius…"_

She looked so beside herself, her face pale and her brown eyes wide, that Harry had to smile sadly and say, "Its okay…" He slipped an arm around her shoulders and they continued walking wordlessly through the long, sweeping grass, until eventually she dared to say quietly;

"You must miss him…"

He swallowed audibly and replied;

"Everyday…"

She snuggled into him reassuringly, and wrapped her arms sideways around his waist. He went on, surprising both of them with his readiness to talk, something he had never been willing to do with Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore or Lupin;

"And it was my fault," he said heavily. "If I hadn't fallen for Voldemort's tricks…if I hadn't been so stupid, so impulsive--"

"Harry," she interrupted, in a tone remarkably like Hermione's. "You went to the ministry that night because you _had_ to save Sirius. You couldn't have done it differently; and Voldemort knew you couldn't. That's what he did; found out what people were emotionally invested in, and exploited it," her tone became suddenly bitter. She paused and then went on more softly; "And so, Sirius came to the ministry to save _you._ Thinking about it…Sirius died to save you…How can that be your fault? It was personal choice…and he wouldn't have changed it for the world…"

A silence met her words; and Harry became aware that they had stopped walking. After several moments of unblinking eye contact, he heaved a sigh;

"You're right," he said simply. "But still…I miss him like hell. I never got to live with him like he asked…I never got to ask him enough about my parents…what else my dad and he got up to at school besides becoming illegal Animagi…" Somehow a grin managed to spread itself over his face as he spoke, despite its unhappy foundations.

"Illegal Animagi?" Ginny repeated, her eyebrows shooting up. Harry chuckled as he took her hand and led her on again.

"Oh there's a lot to tell you about Moony, Padfoot and Prongs…" he smiled at her bemused expression. "So, they became Animagi in their fifth year…"

For half an hour Harry poured his heart out to her. He talked about everything Sirius had ever told him about his parents, about the Marauders' nicknames and how they came to have them, about when he'd found his mother's letter at Grimmauld place, and about how Sirius had gone to live with his Dad when he was sixteen. It was as if with every word he spoke, a tight not, which had been residing permanently in his chest, loosened slightly. Unconsciously they did a loop and began making their slow way back to the house.

"…sorry," Harry said as they approached the shade of the apple trees. "I don't know where all this is coming from…"

"No, no!" Ginny assured him hastily. "It's good to talk about it…"

He stopped suddenly and turned to her, pulling her in for a kiss. Though taken somewhat by surprise, she quickly caught on and responded by nibbling gently on his lower lip, and before either knew what they were doing, they had fallen to the grassy floor in a heap – laughing slightly – Ginny trailing kisses down his neck, running a hand down his chest to his stomach…And then as swiftly as it had started, it all stopped;

"Harry," Ginny mumbled. She pulled away slightly reluctantly, eyeing their location sceptically. "We'd better get back…"

Disappointment coursed through his body for what felt like the umpteenth time that day, but as he got to his feet and studied her expression, he glimpsed that knowing smile he'd seen earlier once again, the kind of smile someone wore when they had a secret…

"What's up?" he asked her.

She casually avoided his question, instead saying brightly; "Come on, Hermione will be wanting to wish you a happy birthday!"

She set off again with a sudden determination in her stride, Harry almost jogging to catch up.

"Gin, what the--"

But she didn't answer him; she merely turned and flashed him a winning smile, taking his hand in hers. Harry frowned to himself as they continued up the grassy slope to the house, and when he came close enough, he saw a startled looking Mrs Weasley hurry from the kitchen window, talking frantically to someone behind her. Wondering fleetingly why everyone was acting so strangely, Harry cast a questioning glance at Ginny as they eventually drew up to the front door. However she apparently remained ignorant of his predicament, and walked straight inside, wiping the soles of her shoes on the doormat as went. Harry followed and closed the door behind him with a click, and was just thinking of how nice it would be to settle down on the sofa with Ginny, maybe with a steaming cup of tea…when suddenly the room erupted around him. He gave a startled yelp, and looked up to see familiar faces jumping out from under the table, out of cupboards; out from under the kitchen surfaces…he let his jaw drop as he saw not only the entire Weasley family, Hermione, Hagrid (who had been hiding in the next room), Fleur, her little sister and Kingsley, but also Neville, Luna, Dean, Seamus, Lavender Brown, the Patil twins, Ernie Macmillan, Lee Jordan, other assorted members of the DA and even Harry's old Quidditch team…

"Surprise!" they all chimed happily.

He gaped noiselessly like a goldfish out of water, his heart still drumming in his ears from the shock, and then turned to look at Ginny. She was grinning madly, and when they made eye contact she nodded meaningfully towards the table. And then he saw it, lying innocently beside an enormous Honeyduke's chocolate cake, its oak handle highly polished, not a twig out of place, its name engraved in gold at the tip…a _firebolt_. He moved over to it in awe, revelling in its beauty…He handled it lovingly as though it were made of china, spluttering;

"But—how…this is--but--who?"

"Everyone chipped in!" Mrs Weasley beamed. "We know it'll never be the same as your first one Harry dear, but we wanted to give you something special, so--"

But the end of her sentence was cut short as Harry moved over and hugged her. He proceeded to shake hands with or hug everyone in the room, catching Hermione twice, ("Happy birthday, Harry!" she said, kissing him on the cheek), and coming to Ginny last. He whisked her into his arms, kissed her lightly, and said;

"You planned all this? The walk...mentioning the firebolt…and you--"

Ginny smiled, "and I told everyone not to make a fuss, yeah," she finished off. "Well, it made it a surprise, didn't it?"

"It's amazing. You're amazing," he murmured so only she would hear.

Ginny beamed and then raised her eyebrows; "Fancy a game?"

"You're on," he smirked.

**--**

The afternoon went by remarkably fast; spent happily between quidditch games commentated for by Lee, photos, laughs and conversations over a banquet of Mrs Weasley's finest, until around eight o' clock when those guests who were not spending the night began to unwillingly depart. Harry thanked them again and again for coming, feeling overwhelmed by how many people had shown up, elated by their company, and then proceeded to thank Mr and Mrs Weasley for housing and cooking for all of them.

"It's nothing, really Harry, we're just so glad you had a good time," Mrs Weasley assured him, kissing him on the cheek for the billionth time.

"Absolutely!" Mr Weasley said happily. "If anyone deserves it, it's you…"

And Harry's perfect day ended with him stood outside Ginny's bedroom door, their fingers laced and their bodies pressed sensually together…

"Best…birthday…_ever_," Harry whispered, embellishing each word with a gentle kiss. She giggled, and groped behind for the doorknob. The door flew open, and they backed into it blindly, still entwined and kissing passionately…and then Harry kicked it closed behind him with a definitive thud.

**--**

**A/N: Hmm and we all know what happens next! Review :)**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: **Hello everyone! Thanks to all who reviewed, I really really really appreciate it! I hope you like the chapter ;)**

--

He awoke to the feel of her hair tickling his chin, her soft little heartbeat thudding next to his, the gentle breathing against the arm wrapped around her, and then the sound of a fluttery voice mutter;

"Harry…"

"Mmm?" he responded quietly, not really knowing whether she was fully awake.

"I love you."

She lifted her head, so that her chin rested on his bare chest and her eyes met his. He grinned at her, wondering whether he could even contain such felicity, and said gently;

"You're beautiful."

There was a pause, and then Ginny smirked, "Well, you're a good liar, but morning-Ginny is definitely not a beautiful sight."

"You always look beautiful to me," Harry shrugged.

She wondered fleetingly whether he had any idea how much it had made her melt; the way in which he had sounded so genuine. She leant up to kiss him, and then murmured; "D'you know what I always wanted to do with you? Back when I used to fancy you in first year?"

Harry arched an eyebrow, "What?"

Ginny grinned, her eyes sparkling; "hang on."

She swung her legs over the edge of her cramped bed, crossed to the door and exited without another word, donning a dressing gown as she went. Harry frowned curiously, and then began searching through the mass of discarded clothes scattered across the floor. Having successfully covered himself, he made to head out after her, but found they simply collided in the doorway as she was coming back in. When she stepped back he saw that she was holding his firebolt out to him, and as he took it with a bemused expression she said;

"Flying at sunrise! Up for it?"

Harry smiled; "Yeah, I'm up for it…where's your broom?" he asked, craning his neck.

"Well, I thought," she said tentatively, "we could both go on yours?"

Harry visibly stiffened, his eyes darting between the broom and Ginny's hopeful expression. "Okay…" he said slowly. "But, this broom...it's my pride and joy--"

"I know," she said with a small smile.

"--I mean seriously, we'll have to be really careful. No distracting me…if anything happens to the--"

"Nothing will happen to the broom," Ginny assured him with a nod.

"Good, 'cause it'd be like losing a member of my family…" Harry said seriously.

"You're quite sad, you know that?" Ginny teased, her head tilted to the side.

He nodded, "Given."

She rolled her eyes and said, "_Boys._"

"Keep doing that and one day they'll get stuck there you know," said Harry wisely as she pushed past him to dress.

She flashed him a grin as she pulled on her jeans, and then paused suddenly in the act of pulling on her t-shirt, looking at him strangely, as though seeing him for the first time. After a frozen moment, Harry asked quietly;

"What?"

Recalled to her surroundings, she shook her head a little and pulled the t-shirt over her head. "Nothing…"

He frowned and took a few steps closer, "You okay?"

She swept her long hair back into a messy bun, and turned away from her tiny mirror to find Harry standing only inches from her. Jumping slightly, she grinned, "Yeah. I'm perfect."

"Mm, definitely," he said softly, planting a kiss on her forehead.

She smiled, and then pointed out, "Sun's coming up. Come on…"

--

She dragged him outside, and he let her sit behind him on the firebolt, let her wrap her arms around his waist, and then they flew up into the skies as the day began to dawn brightly around them. "This is amazing!" he said over his shoulder.

"I'm just full of good ideas," Ginny beamed.

For around an hour they continued over the apple orchard, the meadows they'd walked the previous day, over rolling hills, winding country lanes, and to Harry it felt like the usual incredibility of flying but with obvious bonuses. Her breath teased the back of his neck as they went, and he turned over his shoulder to kiss her, his arm leaving the broom at the front and coming to rest on her lower back. The firebolt came to a standstill, and there they hovered, the kiss deepening until suddenly it began to wobble dangerously;

"Gin!" Harry said exasperatedly, turning back to regain control of the broom. "I told you not to distract me!"

"You say that like you didn't initiate it," Ginny grinned.

"It's not my fault you're so irresistible," he said defensively.

"We'd better start heading back," said Ginny as the sun emerged over a nearby hilltop, bathing the couple in light. "Muggles might see us."

He reluctantly agreed, and swerved so that they were flying back in the direction they'd come from, the wind picking up and whipping their hair off their faces. Harry's hair flew into Ginny's face, willing her to breathe him in, and she happily complied. And then just as they came within distance of the Burrow once again, they heard an ear splitting cry.

"What was that?" Ginny said at once.

"…dunno," Harry said uneasily, picking up speed and heading into a dive. "I'm sure it's nothing.…"

They landed neatly on the front lawn, and hurried to the house. Once inside, Ginny called out;

"Hello?"

"In here!" came two voices from the sitting room; one of them clearly belonging to George. Laying his broom down on the tabletop, Harry followed Ginny into the room to find George and Lee Jordan beaming from ear to ear, talking excitedly. They looked up when Harry and Ginny entered, and George said happily;

"Lee's just agreed to go into business with me!"

Ginny cracked a relieved smile; "That's great!"

Harry nodded enthusiastically and gave Lee an appreciative grin, settling himself on a chair across from them, Ginny on his lap.

"We were thinking of expanding, too," George went on. "Fred and I made such a profit last year…" he choked out his last few words, but somehow there was no mistaking the pride in his voice. Lee placed a hand on his shoulder, and after a moment or so George continued; "We want to buy premises in Hogsmeade, and we were thinking of buying the shop next door in Diagon Alley, to double the size of our original outlet!"

Ginny looked so elated at George's enthusiasm, and Harry gave her a little squeeze around the middle.

--

Breakfast was a pleasant affair that day; George and Lee's news had steadily spread through the house as its inhabitants roused one by one. Even Percy, who believed pranksters should be punishable by law, seemed fairly impressed at how successful Fred and George's business had been going. However, as everyone else was chatting merrily, Ron had '_Twelve Failsafe Ways to Charm Witches' _propped up against a tomato ketchup bottle, his eyes darting from side to side as he read furiously.

"Ron?" Harry began.

"What?" he responded irritably.

"You and Hermione are together now...why the book?" When he didn't elicit a response, Harry leant over to read the heading aloud; "**Circling Square One**: _How to charm your witch out of disagreements."_

"Ron, that's really quite an offensive book," Ginny pointed out.

"You and Hermione had an argument then?" Harry said airily.

Ron nodded stiffly.

"Where is she anyway?" Harry asked, glancing up and down the table for signs of a mass of bushy brown hair.

"Shower," Ron answered shortly.

"So, what was it this time?" George grinned. He put on a falsetto voice and went on; "_Ron, you never pay any attention to me!"_

"_You're always gawking at Fleur…" _Lee carried on.

"Excusez-moi?" Fleur's affronted voice carried up the table just as Ginny snorted into her orange juice.

Ron's ear tips reddened and he said through gritted teeth; "She thinks _Viktor _was more _sensitive _of her feelings than me."

Harry and Ginny were exchanging amused looks when suddenly Hermione appeared in the doorway, wearing a scowl and determinedly avoiding Ron's gaze.

"Morning everyone," she said briskly, drawing up a chair next to Harry as Ron hastily stuffed his book away. Harry had the distinct impression Hermione had seen it when she first came in anyway, and thought Ron rather wasted his efforts. These musings were confirmed when she said spitefully, "Stealthy, Ronald, stealthy."

He gave her his worst look, and continued to be grumpy for the rest of the morning, not making any attempts to join in with the conversations surrounding him.

Around midday, just when Ginny had suggested they play some four on four, there was a roar of green flames and everyone spun in their seats to see a woman step out of the fireplace and brush her robes down. On closer examination, Harry realised her to be the woman who had been assigned to protect the Dursleys the previous year. Mrs Weasley approached her and said;

"Oh, Hestia! Lovely to see you dear! Cup of tea?"

"Thanks, Molly," the woman named Hestia replied. "Sorry to barge in on you like this…I just needed a quick word with Harry…"

Mrs Weasley bustled over to her kettle, saying jovially, "Not at all, dear, not at all!"

Hestia's eyes scanned the kitchen, eventually coming to land on Harry, who was once again sandwiched between Hermione and Ginny. As he got to his feet, she gave him a warm smile and said; "Harry, we've just taken your aunt, uncle and cousin home. I've come to let you know that they're all okay, and that your cousin wanted me to deliver a message to you."

"Really?" Harry asked her with mingled interest and disbelief.

"He wanted me to say 'thanks'," she smiled. "Oh, and to give you this…" She rummaged around in her robes pocket, eventually withdrawing a small envelope, and handed it to him. Harry frowned at it curiously for a moment, and then tore it open to reveal a small birthday card, signed;

_Happy Birthday, Harry_

_Dudley_

Harry stared at it in shock for a moment, and then laughed slightly; "He never was very articulate, Dudley."

After a few moments Hestia spoke up again in more serious tones; "And there's something else, Harry. Kingsley is sending out a team of Aurors today to track down several escaped death eaters. There have been sightings in the south. He wanted me to ask if you wanted to help…"

Harry didn't hesitate a second before answering with a firm, "I want to help." Ginny's head snapped up at this, and Harry determinedly avoided looking her in the eye. "What can I do?"

"You can come with us," Hestia said, checking her watch. "We've got to be at the ministry in ten minutes, we'll meet the team and then--"

"I'm coming too!" Ginny got to her feet.

"No, you're not," Mrs Weasley intercepted swiftly.

Hestia was eyeing Ginny with a certain degree of respect. "And how old are you?"

Ginny flushed slightly, but answered resolutely; "Sixteen…but seventeen in less than a month!"

"She's not of age, she can't go," Mrs Weasley applied to Hestia desperately.

Hestia heaved a sigh and relented, "She's right, sorry dear, if it were up to me…"

Relief crossed the expressions of both Mrs Weasley and Harry. Observing this, Ginny rounded on her boyfriend; "Oh, so _you_ don't want me to go either, do you?"

Harry shook his head frantically, "No--no, of course I do--it's just, dangerous and everything…you know…"

Ginny's eyes flashed dangerously, "I might say the same thing to you! This is so _typical_--"

"Sorry to interrupt," Hestia said brusquely, standing between them. "Harry, if you're coming we need to leave now..." She gave him a final meaningful look and then moved back over to the fireplace, stepped into the emerald flames once more, and said clearly; "Ministry of Magic!"

Once Hestia had disappeared in a whirl of ash and flame, Ginny fixed Harry with positively mutinous stare, as if daring him to follow. It was then that Harry realised for the first time just how great the resemblance was between mother and daughter. "Look," he began. "I—"

"--just be careful," she cut across. "You won't be too popular with them right now…"

He gave her a nod, his eyes locked together with hers, and it was as though an invisible beam of understanding shot between them. Harry managed not to remind her of the fact that next to facing Lord Voldemort this all seemed rather trivial, and instead settled for kissing her on the cheek. She gave his hand a squeeze, and he stepped over to the fireplace. He set his birthday card down on the mantelpiece, and stepped into the flames without another word. He called, "Ministry of Magic!", and the last thing he saw before he began spinning uncontrollably was a room full of people, all eyes fixed on him.

--

Harry apparated to the front door in the late evening, sporting a gash across the cheek and a bleeding lip, and pushed it open heavily. Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Mrs Weasley were sitting in waiting for him, and as soon as he crossed the threshold his vision was suddenly impaired by a mass of red hair. She was squeezing him to within an inch of his life so that eventually he choked out, "Gin! I'm fine!"

She stepped back, giving a slightly shaky laugh, and then Mrs Weasley stepped up;

"I'll be the judge of that!" she inspected his cheek, and then raised a wand to it. He felt it glow hot as the skin healed itself.

"Thanks, Mrs Weasley."

"Did you catch them?" Hermione asked tentatively from the table.

He nodded. "It was Macnair, Avery and Mulciber. They've been sent back to Azkaban."

"Well done, mate!" said Ron enthusiastically.

Harry tried to grin, but then winced as his lip throbbed painfully.

"Here," Mrs Weasley said gently, pointing a wand towards the cut. It healed immediately, and Harry thanked her again. "…I really need to learn that one…"

She smiled and went to put the kettle on once more, and Harry and Ginny joined Ron and Hermione at the table.

"So, what happened, Harry?" Ginny asked with wide eyes.

"…well, we apparated to the place they'd been sighted, somewhere near Cornwall…and spread out to search. I had to head a group…eventually we found Macnair in some pub reminiscent of the Hog's Head…" he grimaced slightly.

"You _headed _a group?" Ron asked in awe as Mrs Weasley brought their tea.

Harry gave an uncommitted head tilt mingled with a shrug. Ginny placed an arm around his shoulders and hugged him sideways as Hermione asked sceptically;

"What, and Macnair just handed himself over?"

"Well, there was a bit of a struggle," Harry replied. "But it was five on one. Eventually, after we'd given Macnair over to the authorities, Kingsley sent a message to say they had a lead on Avery and Mulciber, and--"

But the rest of his story was cut off as there was a smart rap on the door. Harry jumped, and Mrs Weasley bustled over to the doorway, saying hurriedly; "Oh! I completely forgot – I invited Andromeda round for dinner—she's been so upset recently, poor love--"

Mrs Weasley opened the door for Andromeda, and in she came carrying a small baby boy, who was giggling happily as he pulled on her greying hair.

"Andromeda, dear!" Mrs Weasley said cheerily, giving her a one armed hug to avoid squashing poor Teddy. "And little Teddy…"

As Mrs Weasley cooed over the baby, Harry turned to the others; "Where's everyone else?"

"George and Lee went to the pub down the road to celebrate," Hermione said, a tad disapprovingly.

"Percy and Dad are still at work," Ron explained.

"And Bill and Fleur have gone back to Shell Cottage for a bit of 'alone time'," Ginny grinned, drawing inverted commas in the air over her final two words.

Andromeda and Mrs Weasley were now chatting animatedly nearby, and Harry took it upon himself to glance up at Teddy. He looked back him through big blue eyes, and grinned madly from ear to ear. His hair was changing colour every few seconds; now green…now purple…now black…

"And here's Harry!" Andromeda sang, shaking him from his reverie. "Would you like to hold him dear?" she added, looking up at him.

Harry flushed a little, and stuttered, "Oh—no—I'm not very good with babies…I dunno…"

Ginny laughed slightly and got to her feet, taking Teddy in her arms. The baby giggled louder still, grabbing hold of some of Ginny's hair and sucking on it. Ginny shook her head and reprimanded him, chuckling softly, and retracted her hair, throwing it over her shoulder. Harry watched them from afar, entranced by the scene; his girlfriend cradling his Godson…until suddenly she said;

"I just need to pop to the loo; will you hold him a minute Ron?"

She thrust Teddy into Ron's arms, and both Hermione and Harry were surprised to see him bob him up and down happily on his knee.

"What?" he asked them defensively, when he caught sight of their wondrous stares. "I helped look after of Ginny when she was little…"

Hermione's hardened expression softened completely as she watched him, and the next minute she had kissed his cheek and whispered;

"You're forgiven."

Harry grinned to himself as Mrs Weasley appeared at his side, saying; "Come on then Godfather," she smiled. She released Ron of Teddy and held him out to Harry. Harry looked down at the baby slightly nervously, but he simply stretched his chubby arms out to him, his round eyes imploring. "This is Harry, Teddy…Harry…" Mrs Weasley said softly.

Harry ruffled his hair uncomfortably, and when he realised he could prolong the moment no longer, he reached out to lift Teddy out of Mrs Weasley's arms. He held him up in front of him for several moments and wondered what he ought to do next.

"Here," Hermione stood up, taking pity on him. She adjusted Teddy in Harry's arms until he was cradling him more naturally. "Just talk to him…"

"Right," Harry said awkwardly, just as Ginny returned and lingered unseen in the doorway. He stared down into Teddy's wide eyes, and he gazed unblinkingly right back. The baby reached out his tiny hand and tried to remove Harry's glasses. Laughing, Harry carefully took them back and said quietly; "No, no, those are Harry's glasses…without them I can't see a thing…" Teddy giggled, and Harry smiled down at him. "You look at lot like your Dad, you know? Wonder if you'll grow up to be a troublemaker like him and his mates…" he grinned. Sensing someone's eyes upon him, he looked up to see Ginny watching him with slightly teary eyes. She hastened to wipe them dry, and approached him with a smile. He wrapped an arm around her, she rested her head on his shoulder, and the three of them stood there together; swaying slightly on the spot as Harry gently rocked his Godson.

--

A/N: **Sorry if you thought it was too cheesy! Couldn't resist. Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: ****Okay, thank you ****so**** much reviewers. I love you all! Please, please, please keep them coming! Hope you like this… Mr Unanimous – I had already thought about Hermione going to get her parents but didn't know where to work it into previous chapters – so it's in this one! Thanks v. much for reminding me! Enjoy everyone :)**

--

Mr Weasley had suggested they go on a camping trip. He had arrived home from work one late August evening, and recommended they all spend a long weekend together; "at one with nature, like the muggles do." A 'bonding trip', he called it. A chance for them to celebrate their final week before the new term began. Unfortunately for his scandalised audience, this trip was not intended to be spent inside a magical tent, complete with luxuries such as bathroom and kitchen, but a traditional muggle tent, where they would feel jagged rocks through the floor as they rolled around in their fruitless attempts to find a comfortable spot. Mrs Weasley had automatically put her foot down and refused point-blank, and after so many years married to her Mr Weasley quickly accepted that resistance was futile. Bill and Fleur were still well out of the way at Shell Cottage, Percy was 'much too busy at work', and Charlie had recently returned to work in Romania. This left the fateful party of Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and George to accompany the ecstatic Mr Weasley on his expedition. Harry and Ginny had struck up immediate panic stricken conversation;

"Can we evacuate ourselves to Bill and Fleur's?" Harry said in an urgent whisper, while Mr Weasley busied himself with the evening paper.

"I don't know…" Ginny said grimly, "what if we walked in on something we don't want to see?"

Harry just barely suppressed a shudder, and replied; "Come on Gin, they're not _animals_…"

She simply raised her eyebrows sceptically. "Harry, they went home for some '_alone time_'." He opened his mouth to respond further, but--

"Hah!" Mr Weasley said in apparent jubilation. "Skeeter's been sacked!"

Harry temporarily forgot the proposed nightmare camping trip, and whipped his head around in surprise. "Really?" he asked hopefully.

"Let's see…yes," Mr Weasley cleared his throat, "says here that '_Skeeter's continued criticism of the hero, __Harry Potter__," _Mr Weasley stressed the name for emphasis, shooting a meaningful glance at Harry across the table, "…'_is very unpopular_ _with the Wizengamot and the Minister for Magic, and so consequentially she has been made redundant. It is said by the ministry's most highly acclaimed Aurors that in early August, Potter single-handedly headed a search team in collaboration with the Ministry, for the capture of former Death Eater, Macnair…."_

Harry felt his cheeks glow hot as Mr Weasley beamed and finished up, passing the paper to Mrs Weasley for her perusal.

"I suppose now that Kingsley's in charge no one's manipulating the _Prophet _anymore_?" _Hermione said casually, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.

"Yeah, and now that Skeeter's out of the picture…" Ron said slowly.

"Everything might go back to normal," Ginny finished off with a weak smile.

Hermione made to take another sip of her drink, but hesitated suddenly beforehand, as though struck by a sudden idea.

"I'm going to Australia," she announced, apparently voicing her thoughts aloud and lowering her mug to the table once more. "You know…to find my parents…"

Harry gazed at her curiously. He had been wondering when she would decide to go; and why she had not done so immediately. Judging by his expression, similar thoughts were crossing Ron's mind, though he seemed rather reluctant to share. Hermione was now chewing on her bottom lip and staring at the tabletop, apparently lost in thought. Ron eventually spoke;

"When are you going?"

"—yeah, don't think you're getting out of the trip--" Ginny said in an undertone.

"You can't miss the camping trip!" Mr Weasley said enthusiastically over his daughter, entirely ignorant of her predicament.

Hermione took one look at Mr Weasley's hopeful expression, sighed softly, and said; "Of course I won't go until after the trip, Mr Weasley."

He beamed madly, and replied; "Fantastic!"

"Will you want some company Hermione?" Ron said tentatively. "When you go to Australia?"

"Oh—yes," she smiled, "thanks, Ron…" She leaned in to give him a kiss, and the rest of the room promptly averted their eyes. When the couple eventually broke away for air, she went on; "It might take a lot of explaining…"

"And that's why you've been putting it off?" Ron blurted out.

Hermione bowed her head, her expression reading guilt. "It might be a lot for them to take in. Sometimes it feels like this wall has come between us…with me being a witch…"

Ron paused a moment before saying thoughtfully; "What if…what if we were to bring them back and then take them for a day out in Diagon Alley? They can see it all for themselves…? Then they might understand better…"

"And we'd be delighted to have them round for tea, Hermione," Mrs Weasley chimed in as she settled herself next to her husband, carefully pushing aside the _Prophet _and whipping out the latest edition of _Witch Weekly _instead_._ "We'd love to get to know them properly! And perhaps it would help them adjust?" she added kindly, just as Mr Weasley nodded in agreement. Hermione looked around and conveyed her gratitude to Ron and his parents with a mere look; her eyes glistening. Ron smiled fondly at her, and reached out to wipe away a few fallen tears gently with his thumb. She placed her hand over his where he left it cupping her face, and they both appeared to quite forget that they were in the company of others for several moments, holding each other's gaze lovingly before suddenly collecting themselves and clearing their throats awkwardly.

"So, anyway, Ginny," Harry quickly said, taking pity on Hermione and Ron's uncomfortable moment. "That thing I was saying to you earlier, about…er--"

"The camping trip?" Ginny supplied miserably. Apparently she could not think about anything else.

"Right," Harry nodded gratefully. "Mr Weasley, where exactly are we going?"

"Well now, I'm glad you ask that Harry!" Mr Weasley said cheerily. "I rather thought that we would go camping on the south coast. Catch a bit of sunshine, perhaps sleep under the stars on the beach?"

The foursome exchanged mellow shrugs and raised eyebrows at his words; perhaps the weekend wouldn't be so terrible after all.

--

The following day, Harry was sprawled out across the sofa with Ginny nestled into his arms. Her legs were carefully entwined with his, and he didn't seem to have much room for any further thoughts than that; except perhaps for how her kisses seemed to make his lips tingle pleasurably each time they were delivered. But a second later, and Harry was pulled out of his Ginny world with an abrupt shout from the next room;

"Harry! Ginny! Get in here!"

He could guess by the diction that it was Ron calling them. Ginny groaned irritably and detached herself from him reluctantly; wishing very much that she did not have to leave the warmth of his embrace. They trudged hand in hand into the hallway, where Ron was untying several envelopes from the leg of a very official-looking owl, which was standing-by impatiently on the window sill. The letters unmistakably bore the Hogwarts crest, and Harry felt his stomach turn over with excitement; _he was going back. _

"Hogwarts letters," Ron stated unnecessarily.

Harry extended an arm to take his, and after staring slightly transfixed at the emblem for a second longer, he hastened to tear it open. Inside was the usual letter containing the reminders for term dates, and his new booklist…but Harry noticed there was an added weight…peering into the corner of the envelope he noticed something small, round and shiny…

"Ginny…" he choked out in a constricted voice, tipping out the Head Boy badge onto the palm of his hand. As he stared at it in shock, Ron and Hermione responded with gasps, whereas Ginny remained quite inert. The reason for this was shortly explained when she spoke in tones remarkably similar to Harry's, "Oh my God…", and reached into her own envelope to produce a glistening Head Girl badge. Ron beamed and clapped Harry on the back;

"Well done, mate!"

"Well done both of you!" Hermione cried, hugging each of them in turn. Ginny and Harry then turned to one another, and after several seconds of silence, burst into laughter at precisely the same moment.

"But--" Ginny spluttered, collecting herself, "Hermione, I thought it'd be you!"

At just that moment Percy meandered down the staircase before them, looking bleary eyed and agitated, coming to a halt on the bottom step. "What's all this noise?" he asked testily. "I've got a very important report to write on Broomstick regulation, so if you _don't _mind--" His eyes had landed on the badges Ginny and Harry clutched, and it seemed words had temporarily failed him. But before he could congratulate them, George was descending the stairs behind him, Mrs Weasley bringing up the rear, carrying a basket load of dirty laundry.

"What's everyone doing standing here?" she asked, sounding slightly harassed.

"Mother," Percy turned to address her. "It seems our Ginny has been made Head Girl…and Harry Head Boy…"

Ginny winced at his patronising tone, and Harry winked at her subtly before they both gritted their teeth in preparation for the outburst.

"Head—Head Girl? My little Ginny? Harry—Head Boy?" Her eyes found the evidence at last, and she let out a shriek of delight before pushing aside her sons and launching herself at Ginny first, and then moving onto Harry. "Oh—my--a Head Boy _and_ Girl in the family! How _wonderful!" _She planted a sloppy kiss on Harry's cheek after she released him from her bone-cracking hug, and Harry felt inexpressible happiness at her reaction, but nothing pleased him more than hearing George's response;

"Watch yourself, Harry," he said in a tone of mock concern. "If you're not careful you might go the same way as Percy."

"Excuse me?"

--

There had been another celebration that night. They were all delighted when Hagrid had come by to congratulate them;

"_Always knew it'd be yeh Harry, o'course. And Ginny, never seen anyone so gifted at a Bat-Bogey Curse I'll tell yer that…"_

Harry's immediate worry was that it could all cause Ron to feel resentful towards him once again; after such a long friendship, and after everything that they'd been through, he didn't feel that he would've been able to take any tension or arguments between them. But much to his intense relief, Ron seemed to have overcome his old aspirations to fill his older brothers' shoes. It seemed he had finally become happy in himself; and Harry could guess that, even with the fact that he had aided Harry on his quest for the Horcruxes, the majority of this new found satisfaction could be put down to Hermione. Asides from the fact that they jumped down each other's throats night and day, Harry would have to admit that Ron and Hermione seemed perfect for one another. When he mentioned this off-hand to Ginny one night, however, she seemed thoroughly irritated by his comment.

"Oh…" she mumbled, "So Ron and Hermione are perfect together and we're not?"

Harry looked down at her to see her scoot away from him where they had been lying together on her bed. He suddenly felt rather hot and uncomfortable; he had never enjoyed talking about his feelings.

"No…that's not what I meant…" he raised an eyebrow. "We're—great--"

"_Great_?" Ginny echoed hollowly. "Brilliant! Let's try it once more with even_ less_ feeling."

Harry's eyebrows shot up so far they became lost in the mess of his tangled fringe. "Vicious sarcasm," he smirked, in attempts to recover the situation. "Always know something's bothering you when you resort to that--"

"Oh, so you think this is a joke?!" she screeched, jumping to her feet and towering over him. His eyebrows furrowed. Harry had become very accustomed to Ginny being distinctly uncomplicated. This kind of behaviour was exactly what had jeopardised his feelings for Cho.

"What's the matter with you?" he asked, sounding utterly perplexed.

Ginny threw her hands up in frustration; "You just—you never--"

"Never what?" he pressed, eager to discover what he had managed to do wrong.

"You're just—so--" she spluttered.

"Come on," Harry rallied her, "spit it out!"

She let her arms fall by her sides, emitting a sigh of resignation, and then said in a tone of finality; "If you don't know, I can't help you."

Harry watched as she turned on her heel and stalked out of the room, slamming the door as she went. He waited for several moments for her to realise she had just walked out of her own bedroom, until suddenly she came back in, held the door open for his exit, and pointed him out into the hallway. Still completely at a loss for how to handle the situation, he left without another word, his mind whirring as he struggled to understand the eternal mystery that was the female mind.

--

Over the few days prior to Mr Weasley's trip, Harry and Ginny shared a kind of mutual desire to avoid each other at all costs. Harry whiled away the hours in the bedroom he shared with Ron, only leaving his sanctuary when promised earnestly that Ginny had gone up to bed. This being his first ever disagreement with his girlfriend, he did not have any idea how to go about fixing it, and did not know how she expected him to even contemplate doing so when she refused to tell him what he had done wrong to begin with. Hermione, it seemed, knew exactly what was irking Ginny, but had been sworn to secrecy under serious threats of being subjected to her friend's Bat-Bogey Hex if she told. Occasionally, during the brief moments when Hermione would visit Ron in their bedroom, Harry would question her repetitively, but he may as well have interrogated a brick wall for all the answers he received;

"Harry," she said bossily, "This is your problem, not mine, so you sort it out."

He would then give Ron a pleading look, to which he would simply shrug and reply;

"I'd tell you if I knew mate, honestly. Hermione always tells me outright what's bothering her see…never had to deal with all this cryptic stuff…"

And then Hermione would come out with her advice, which she had been giving on a loop every day since their argument, and which Harry had immediately decided he would never, _ever_, act on.

"Stop being so stubborn, go downstairs, and talk to her. _Now._"

But Harry did not do any of these things; he remained adamant he would not be the one to back down, and became increasingly moody and temperamental as the days went by. When the very morning of the camping trip finally arrived, when Harry had just about resigned himself to the worst, there was a soft knock on the door and he felt his heart leap into his throat. Relief came crashing over him and he felt as though a weight he had been unconsciously carting around suddenly evaporated into thin air, she was here, they would talk, he would apologise, and then they'd kiss, and they'd collapse in a heap onto Harry's bed, he would start to carefully unbutton her blouse--

"Harry?"

It was not Ginny's voice calling. It was Hermione.

"Come in," he called glumly, falling back onto his mattress with a gentle thud, letting the misery wash over him once more. He did not avert his eyes from the carpet as Hermione walked quietly over and took a seat beside him, but started slightly when she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Look," she said gently. "If I tell you what's bothering her will you _please _do something about it?"

He turned to her with an ecstatic expression and replied eagerly; "I promise."

"Don't tell her I told you either," she added sternly. "I'm guessing she might assume I did anyway, it would've been a miracle for you to work this out all by yourself - you're completely clueless--"

"I won't tell. Get to the point, Hermione," Harry said irritably.

She took in a deep breath, and then said; "I suppose…she thinks that…you're not really, romantic enough with her?"

It felt as though a lead weight had dropped into the pit of his stomach; his worst fears had been realised. She wanted him to be romantic with her. Visual memories of the fiasco of going to Madam Puddifoot's with Cho cascaded his mind, and for a moment he felt faintly sick.

"But, Hermione," he pleaded. "She must know I'm not that sort of person…I mean, I'm just not good at being all…you know…"

Hermione nodded firmly, "I think he does know. She's not expecting you to serenade her or provide her with bouquets of red roses every day of the year…just, maybe, appreciate her a little more?"

Harry simply stared at her blankly. Hermione rolled her eyes and continued;

"Well, now don't take this the wrong way, Harry! But…Ginny's liked you since she was _eleven_, and then one day you just kiss her, without any explanations…then you leave her for a year, come back and expect to fall right back into place--"

"It's not like I had a choice there, Hermione," Harry pointed out. He then heaved a sigh and went on; "Okay…maybe I can see what you mean..."

"Harry, she's completely mad about you."

He felt his stomach flip over before saying quietly; "yeah, me too."

"So," she said matter-of-factly, "what are you going to do?"

--

The sun was setting as Harry ambled slowly down the path to the sandy beach, hearing the sound of the gentle waves wash up on the shore before retreating once again to their beautiful depths. He had never been to the seaside growing up; the Dursleys had been out of their way to make him miserable, they'd have sooner taken him on holiday than given him a brand new play station set to match Dudley's. And now, after long arduous hours of pitching the tents "the muggle way" and trying to light a fire by rubbing wood together until Mr Weasley eventually gave in and used his wand, Harry fully intended to lie on the sand in peace for as long as possible, before having to return to their camp. He had thus far managed to avoid a moment alone with Ginny, but fully intended to talk to her the next day, once he was rejuvenated from their tiresome afternoon. Just then, he emerged through a tree thicket to step onto the sand, but came to an abrupt halt when he saw Ginny a few feet before him, her red hair flying in the evening breeze as she stood facing the open sea. He tried to turn straight back in cowardice, but his footsteps had betrayed him and she spun around to meet him eye to eye. He struggled to conceal a wince, and said;

"Hi."

She gave a weak smile and replied; "Hey," before turning her back on him once again and settling herself on the soft sand, hugging her knees to her chest. Though she was facing away from him now, he could sense somehow that she was inviting him to join her. Taking up a spot next to her, he said quietly;

"Ginny…" It seemed now was the time to show her how he felt. He cleared his throat, wondering how he could begin. He had had a whole speech planned out with Hermione, but for some reason all his thoughts seemed to have wandered off the moment he set eyes on her. But when he caught the scent of flowers on the wind, he took things in a different direction. "Do you know when I first realised I liked you?"

She remained silent, and Harry simply swallowed and went on.

"At the start of sixth year, Slughorn brewed some Amortentia…and well, I smelt broomstick handle," he grinned, "treacle tart, and, err...you."

She glanced sideways at him, and he saw the faintest trace of a smile start to turn the corners of her mouth.

"I didn't know what it was at the time," he smirked. "And then later that day you came to talk to me, and I realised what it was. And then I saw you with Dean…and I just knew."

Her smile spread itself fully over her face at this, and she replied innocently;

"Knew what?"

Harry grinned still wider, and made an impulsive brave decision to continue the re-enactment one of the happiest moments of his life; "I knew you were the one, of course."

She gave a small laugh and then leaned in to kiss him. It had been four days since they had last kissed and she had entirely forgotten how wonderful it was. It seemed incredible to her that she had survived months without this when Harry had been away hunting Horcruxes. She ran her tongue over his bottom lip, begging entrance, to which he happily complied, and for one perfect moment she tasted him…but then she pulled away teasingly, leaving him hanging, and he whispered;

"I love you. Don't ever think I don't know what I have when I have you…"

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, and then gave him a very alluding smile as she murmured;

"You're one smooth talker, Harry Potter."

--

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Quick update! A starter for the whole Hogwarts year…should be fun. I know this is quite short, hopefully not too dull, but it was necessary for what comes after ;) Keep reading, keep reviewing.**

**Love to all.**

**--**

Alongside the Weasley's first camping trip had passed the first of many years of disagreements for Harry and Ginny, which had resulted in their first ever compromise: Harry had made a promise to be more open in their relationship, and Ginny had promised never to hold back when she was upset by something again. On the day they were to return to Hogwarts, in light of these new pledges, Ginny had come up with a wonderful idea to share with one another the moments they each felt had been most important to them over the period of their relationship. Harry, sitting opposite her on the Hogwarts Express in the Heads carriage, tried his best to refrain from widening his eyes in horror at this abysmal proposal, but instead replied lightly;

"You go first, then?"

She beamed and then looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully. Rain lapsed against the window pane as the train continued winding through woods and streams, hills and meadows, and Harry took full advantage of this moment of quiet to rack his brain for a suitable "important moment in their relationship" to share with Ginny. His thoughts immediately turned to their first kiss;

_No…too obvious…she'll be expecting something more romantic…_

Those days out by the lake, under the birch tree;

_Obvious again, she'll think it's a cliché…_

When I followed her name on the Marauders' map when I was looking for the Horcruxes;

_Already told her about that…_

As he was wondering in misery what had brought on this new feminine and romanticised Ginny, he let his thoughts stray to that very first afternoon…

--

_**A long walk in the grounds was indicated, during which – if they had time – they might discuss the match. Harry followed on after Ginny, and when they stood face to face in the corridor outside, he saw that she appeared to be in somewhat of a girlish daze. Both too nonplussed to form words, they walked side by side in bewildered silence until they arrived on the second floor. Then came the noise symphony of confusion from Ginny's end;**_

"_**Harry…errs…what—I mean, I don't…so…then, are we? What…? Are we… you know?" She finished her attempts to complete a sentence, came to a halt and looked at him imploringly.**_

_**He grinned down at her, and rather than answering directly, he asked, "Why did you break up with Dean?"**_

_**She flushed, before replying with a sudden irritated elevation in her voice; "Why did you just kiss me in the middle of the common room in front of the entire house?"**_

_**And now he felt heat prickle from the neck up, and a faint pink tinted his cheeks as he carefully examined his shoelaces.**_

"_**Well…because, I like you…a lot," he mumbled.**_

_**Another stunned silence met this proclamation, until Ginny said gently; "I broke up with Dean because I realised the only reason I was with him was to try and fool myself that I didn't still like you…"**_

_**He felt his stomach turn over with excitement as he looked up, but after a few moments of holding each other's gaze he cleared his throat and gestured onwards once again.**_

"_**So…" she continued nervously, "if I like you, and you like me…" she trailed off and cast a would-be subtle sideways glance at him as they arrived at the front doors.**_

"_**So…" he repeated; and as they came onto the first step, he pivoted to face her, cupped her face with his hands and kissed her once again. And in the second their lips touched, he was taken somewhere he'd never been before, somewhere far away from the real world, away from all the pain…and all that mattered was how sweet she tasted…**_

"_**So…" she whispered against his lips, "are we?"**_

_**He nodded, the corners of his mouth twitching, "yeah, we are."**_

**--**

"Harry?"

He jumped, recalled to the here and now, to find Ginny eyeing him with mingled frustration and concern. "You didn't listen to a word I just said did you?"

He chuckled softly, "sorry."

"What were you thinking about?" she cocked an eyebrow.

"When we got together," he grinned.

She smiled at him coyly, got to her feet and crossed the carriage to settle on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and laced their fingers together, eliciting a shaky laugh against her shoulder as she nestled herself against him more comfortably.

"What?" she frowned curiously.

"You were so tongue-tied that day," he smiled.

"Shut up, Harry," she laughed, "you weren't a lot better."

"Yeah I was," he insisted teasingly, "what were you saying before, anyway?"

"I was saying the moment I thought was most important was when I told my Mum about us. She was so over the moon, it made me think about when we get married, my family will be so happy…everything's going to be perfect," she sighed.

Harry's eyes, lulled to a close by the gentle murmuring of her voice, shot open just as the doors to their compartment were thrown open and he choked out;

"_Married?" _

But his hoarse voice was lost with the appearance of Ron and Hermione through the doorway, wearing ecstatic grins and gesturing fervently behind them. Neville and Luna were bringing up the rear, but where Ginny greeted them excitably Harry merely heard the word "married" run through his mind continuously, seemingly more threatening with each repetition, until he could no longer contain it;

"MARRIED?"

He got to his feet so abruptly that Ginny toppled from his lap with a shriek to land in a painful heap on the floor. An equally painful silence ensued, which Luna helpfully broke with a classic statement of the obvious;

"There's a strange vibe in here," she said dreamily, "Funny. Are you alright Ginny?"

"I'm fine," she replied irritably, taking Hermione's outstretched hand and getting to her feet. She flashed Harry an accusatory look as the others took their seats, and then went to sit at the other end of the compartment in the hope of hiding her extremely flushed cheeks.

"So you and Neville are back too?" Ginny said shakily to Luna as a change of subject.

"Oh, yes! McGonagall visited our families in the holidays and asked if we wanted to come back to finish our NEWTs," Luna chirped happily, "and of course we both said we'd love to!"

Ginny, who had not particularly been looking for a full-scale account, and had only asked politely in attempts to establish small talk, did not bother making a reply but instead simply scowled into her lap, her anger with Harry nearing bursting point.

"Anyway," Hermione said into the quiet, "we need to tell you something--"

"Make sure it's nothing Harry will have to commit to," Ginny spoke up, "he might throw you on the floor, too."

Harry looked up from where his eyes had been set on the floor so quickly his neck cricked audibly, and scrutinised Ginny with as much menace as he could muster. How dare she draw it out here in front of their friends? They were seventeen...not exactly newly-wed material...

"Hermione are you sure what you're about to say won't upset Ginny? She's kind of sensitive at the moment you see; makes mountains out of mole hills," Harry said savagely.

"No, it's won't Harry," Hermione said through gritted teeth as Ginny's face paled with anger, "we just saw--"

"At least I don't have the emotional complexity of...Ron!" she screamed.

"Hey!" cried Ron, affronted. Hermione gave him the sceptical eye and he relented grudgingly, "Okay, fair enough."

"Gin, what is wrong with you at the moment?!" Harry shouted, standing up once again with frustration.

"Okay, you two, just stop it!" Hermione shrieked.

"I have emotional complexity!" Ron insisted angrily.

"My name was in the daily prophet!" Neville shouted triumphantly.

"Everyone's very angry today," Luna said simply.

During the second uncomfortable silence that followed these simultaneous outbursts, Harry collapsed back onto his seat massaging his throbbing temple, Ron twiddled his thumbs awkwardly, and Luna and Neville exchanged unknowing shrugs.

"I think we'll just leave you two alone for a bit," Hermione said with forced calm, "sort it out, whatever it is. Come on everyone…"

Neville left with an awkward nod, Luna with a meek wave, Ron with a grimace, and Hermione with a signature bossy stare; leaving Harry and Ginny each sitting with their arms folded over their chests, staring in opposite directions and seated as far apart as humanly possible. After several long moments they each sighed, and Ginny said in a tone of forced civility;

"Well I suppose we'd better call the house meeting."

"I was going to say we should patrol," Harry replied, "but we can do it your way."

"We don't have to," she shrugged irritably, then added; "you're the boss."

"If anyone's the boss of this "relationship", it's you," he said, voice dripping with unnecessary sarcasm.

"Oh, yeah? Well--"

"Now, now, temper, temper," said a sleek voice. Harry looked away from Ginny's accusatory finger, mid-way to his feet once again, to see the one, single person who had the ability to exacerbate the situation. Leaning casually against the doorway of their compartment, a gleeful malicious grin plastered over his pale, pointed face, stood Draco Malfoy. Harry's jaw dropped just as Ginny said faintly; "Oh my God…"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Harry demanded. "Shouldn't you be locked up in Azkaban?!"

"I can see The Hero isn't in the best of moods today. Perhaps his damsel is causing him some distress?" Malfoy grinned, entirely unperturbed by Harry's critical manner.

"Just ignore him, Harry," Ginny muttered, "Look, why _are _you here?"

"Why should I ignore him? He's right…" Harry mumbled grumpily.

"I got off, of course," Malfoy continued smoothly. "Put on your best simpering expression, claim to have done it out of fear of the Dark Lord…it's no problem."

"Oh, so you're _good_ now are you?" said Harry bitterly, not caring enough to comment on how Malfoy had been in a completely petrified state ever since their sixth year, meaning that his "claim" to have done it out of fear of the Dark Lord was much less a ploy to escape Azkaban than actual fact.

"Yes," he smirked. "I am. I just dropped in to thank you Potter; you saving my life in June gave me the perfect alibi. No one who the "chosen one" would save could possibly be tainted with evil, isn't that right?"

"Glad I could be of help," Harry responded dryly. "How's your Dad, then? Having been Voldemort's wing-man for three years, I don't expect he was quite so lucky was he?"

"Ah, such naivety," Malfoy said, eyes alight with wonder. "You forget my family's greatest asset. Gold, Potter, gold."

"Kingsley wouldn't be bought off so easily like Scrimgeor and Fudge were," Ginny insisted loyally.

"And yet my father walks free," Malfoy said airily. "Funny that."

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked, his temper rising further by the second.

"Merely to give you my gratitude scar-head," Malfoy simpered.

"Which you've done," Ginny pointed out. "And now--"

"And now I'll be off…see you at the prefect meeting." And with those final words he departed with a subtle wink aimed vaguely in Ginny's direction.

"_Prefect? Still?" _Harry moaned, as Ginny frowned with curiosity at Malfoy's odd behaviour.

"Well," she sighed, "I think it's safe to say this year's going to be interesting…"

--

**A/N: REVIEW! Thanks for reading!**


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